Free Fallin'
by Diabetic.T1
Summary: Set after 3x01-Elena wants to feel loved and Damon wants to be the one to love her; in anyway possible. "I'll be your crying shoulder. I'll be love suicide. I'll be better when I'm older. I'll be the greatest fan of your life." They get caught up in the web of lust, passion, desire, and love. It is true that hate and love are a very thin line and they are about to cross it.
1. Free Fallin'

**This story will take place during season 3 of The Vampire Diaries. It starts right after Elena's birthday in the first episode and then takes off from there with my own ideas of how Elena and Damon should 'heal' one another. **

* * *

Elena stood in the empty space of her house. Alaric's words hung heavily in the air. She was technically an adult now. She should be able to handle everything that life threw at her; however, she had never felt so small. How did Alaric expect her _and _Jeremy to take care of them? They had lost their parents at a young age, they were never taught the ropes of growing up, paying the bills, grocery shopping, and living life.

This was her senior year. Who was going to help her pick out colleges? Who was going to help her with applications and scholarships? This was supposed to be her parents' job, and then the role fell to Jenna, and now she was gone too. So once again, Elena asked herself, how did Alaric expect Elena to do this for herself and take care of Jeremy? Suddenly, she felt like her world was crashing down around her again. Not only was her mom, dad, John, and Jenna dead, but Stefan was still missing and hope of finding him fell from her body.

The car ride with Alaric back to the house was quiet. It wasn't until they pulled up to the house that Alaric stopped her from getting out. He told her about Andy. Stefan had killed her. Elena's body felt constricted and tight when Alaric told her the news. The urge to vomit took over, but she held it down. Stefan was really gone. He had killed innocent people; Andy, who they had known for months, was dead.

She had to concentrate on the things happening around her now. She had to help Jeremy stay on track with school. She had to be the adult and make sure that everything turned out okay. It all happened at once, but a heat of anger rushed through her body aimed towards Alaric. He was supposed to be there for them. He had promised them that when Jenna passed away. And now he was abandoning Elena and Jeremy. How could Elena even think about her future when she knew that she would have to stay close to protect Jeremy now?

"Jeez, you look like someone died," Damon's smooth voice said cockily. He was standing in Elena's doorway and she hadn't even noticed. She was still standing in the middle of the room and hot tears were running down her cheeks. Seeing Damon made her earlier feelings resurface again. "Elena?" Damon asked softly once he noticed her tears. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry about Andy," Elena whispered hoarsely. "God, I'm so caught up in Stefan that I didn't let myself believe that he was really gone, you know? I should have been more considerate towards your feelings. She was your girlfriend for crying out loud!"

"Hey," Damon cooed. He stepped inside fully and hesitantly wrapped his arms around Elena. He wasn't expecting Elena to cling to him and pull him closer, but he let her and rubbed her back soothingly. "It's okay. We'll get him back."

"Will we?" Elena accused slightly. "Because I don't think we will. He killed Andy. He _killed_ Andy!"

This was the last straw. Watching Alaric walk out of their lives—granted he would still be her history teacher, but no longer guardian—still sat in the back of Elena's mind. But that wasn't good enough for her. She and Jeremy needed a parent. They were just kids themselves.

"We should have stopped looking for him." Hope and determination no longer took home in Elena's mind. "I'm done trying to get him back. There's no going back and I know that now. He's changed and he might change back someday, but he's with Klaus now. He left us behind." Mixed with tears Elena let out a throaty chuckle. Damon looked at her curiously and Elena was sure he thought she was crazy.

"I mean who are we kidding? We wasted a whole summer for fucks sack! I missed so much because I was constantly on road trips with you and Alaric. Jesus, I was so caught up in myself and what I wanted that I didn't even see Jeremy and notice that he was spiraling." Elena pulled away from Damon and ran a hand through her hair.

She started pacing. "And he was smoking again at my birthday party. I just dumped that responsibility onto Alaric; forced him to try to help Jere, and now all of a sudden that was too much for Ric and he's gone. He's just gone…like everyone else."

"What do you mean he's gone?" Damon asked. He walked up to Elena and planted himself in front of her. He made her stop pacing and this upset Elena too. He couldn't just let her vent.

"I mean he doesn't want to be here. He says that I'm in charge now. I'm an adult." Elena looked up at Damon with watery, red eyes. She let out a small whimper and bit her lip. "I don't want to be an adult," she admitted softly.

"Ric's just going through a mid-life crisis right now. He'll be back sleeping on your couch in no time," Damon said without question. "Just you wait and see."

Elena shook her head. She wasn't in the mood to be cheered up with hopeful thinking.

"If there's one thing I learned from this summer it's that we shouldn't get our hopes up. Stefan taught us that every time we had a lead on him. And I wish I had enough courage to keep looking for him, I really do, but I can't anymore Damon." She was practically pleading with him now. "I know that I am his girlfriend and you're his brother, but I can't keep doing this to me…to you. I have to let him go and move on."

Damon nodded his head. He could only imagine what Elena was going through. He was used to not seeing Stefan for this long. Hell, he had gone decades at a time not seeing Stefan, but decades to a vampire wasn't a long time. For Elena, a human, a few days felt like a lifetime.

But Damon wouldn't lie. He had gotten used to having Stefan around. But it was taking a nasty toll on him, Elena, Ric, and every single one of Elena's friends in trying to find Stefan. They all needed a break on the search.

"Okay," Damon agreed. "Then we let him go and move on from here. We won't go back."

"I'm scared," she admitted.

"Want to know a secret?" Damon whispered, and he pulled a small smile out of Elena. "I'm scared too."

"Really?" Elena questioned. She was slowly returning back to her normal; self controlled self.

Yes, Damon thought to himself, he was scared because if Elena was willing to move on like she said she was going to do then what did that mean for their relationship? It was no secret that he was in love with her, but what did she feel for him?

"Of course. I mean, when a guy walks in on a girl who's crying her eyes out, there has to be a painful reason behind it. I didn't know what had gotten you so worked up," he smirked.

Elena looked up at Damon and finally noticed just how close he was to her. His hands were running through her hair slowly, pulling at each strand individually and caressing the sides of her face. He was still dressed in his dark blue shirt and jeans, his hair tussled, and his eyes looking red and tired.

"Thank you," she spoke sincerely.

Damon's eyes traveled over her face before he finally settled on saying, "You should get some sleep. I just came over to make sure you were okay. I was a little too harsh before."

He started pulling away from her and Elena missed the contact. Her body felt cold and detached as he walked towards her front door.

"Damon, wait!" She called out rapidly. He turned to look at her in surprise.

Elena didn't know what part of her called out to him. But she did know that she needed him. Alaric had just walked out on her, Jeremy was doing drugs with Matt and was probably passed out upstairs, and her current ex-boyfriend was ripping apart victims across the country.

Damon was the only person in her life right now that was a constant. He took care of her whether that meant yelling at her or checking in with her. He was in love with her and that was the best feeling to Elena. She needed someone to love her in that moment.

She rushed to him and without hesitation she claimed his mouth. Her body should have been filled with pure shock, but it molded itself to his body, pressing him against the door so she could feel every single hard muscle through her thin dress. Her hands ran up and to his hair, pulling him closer while her legs pushed in between his.

He was responding just as urgently, the feeling of his lips smearing against her skin made Elena feel lost in the emotion of lust and pure desire. The tension between the two that had been building ever since Damon's feelings had been revealed to Elena was overtaking them.

Elena's fingers started to unbutton Damon's shirt while his mouth seemed to be touching her everywhere. His hands was grabbing at the hem of her dress, pulling it upward so it bunched between them.

"Oh God…" she moaned when Damon started sucking on her tender flesh of her neck. He was going to mark her. If he couldn't bite her then he would mark her with a hickey. His fingers trailed along the top of her white panties, dancing delicately compared to her rushed movements of getting his shirt open and off.

"Elena," he was serious; looking her in the eyes. They were both breathing heavily. "Is this what you want?"

"Yes." Because in that moment, she wanted Damon. "I want this tonight; just once. If we don't then that will be one of my biggest regrets."

Elena watched as Damon studied her face. She hoped she didn't show any hesitation. She didn't know what it would feel like if Damon actually rejected her.

"I need this," she whispered. She pressed a kiss to his exposed chest; his shirt lying on the ground near their feet. "I want to feel loved. I want to feel you."

Damon grabbed her and sped her up to her room. Elena couldn't even process the movement. She had only experienced vampire speed a couple of times and she didn't think she could get used to the feeling.

When she opened her eyes she was pressed against her door with Damon blocking her in. His eyes were intense as they bored down into her own brown orbs.

"You deserve to be loved every day, Elena," he murmured before his mouth nuzzled her collarbone, pushing one strap down her arm and then the other. His lips sucked lightly before moving to the other side and slowly pushing down her other strap. He looked up at her and Elena sucked in a breath as the dress floated down her body. The temperature in the room seemed to be escalating to unbearable degrees as she stood before Damon in just her white, lace panties.

She stepped out of her high heels and started walking him backwards. Her small hands unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. She took in his cream colored chest, the moonlight shining through her window making his skin glow. Every muscle on his chest was defined and as his jeans shimmied down his thighs and calves he was bare before her; perfectly trimmed and toned in all the right places. She should have known he wouldn't have been wearing underwear.

Although he had just used vampire speed to get her to the room she let out a small squeak as he used it again to push her against her own mattress. Straddling her from above his eyes connected with hers. Elena wanted to show Damon just how much she cared for him in that moment, but she couldn't. He was on top of her; boring down into her soul and reading every intimate thought she has ever had about him.

"Damon, I—"

"Shh—" He placed a finger on her lips and smirked. "Let me memorize this," he requested and Elena nodded. She could give him these precious moments; the anticipation making her wetter.

His eyes started on her face, moving over her eyes, nose, and high cheek bones. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips when he studied her pink mouth. His hands subtly traced the outline of her chest, leisurely moving towards her hardened nipples. Pinching and squeezing gently she arched into his hands; wanting more. Little mewls left her mouth as his hands trailed even further down her body. His skilled fingers dragged her panties down her legs and threw them to the floor of her room.

A blush coated her cheeks as his body huddled above hers again. Hips were pressed together and she could feel the tip of his manhood against her wet core.

"Beautiful," Damon finally said.

He didn't say anything else, and Elena didn't need him too. In that moment Damon was giving her everything that she needed. He was taking care of her; silently promising her with his body that he wouldn't leave that night. Come morning, however, that would be a different story. Neither Elena nor Damon knew what the next day would bring.

Elena felt like her body was on fire the moment Damon's mouth laid kiss upon kiss on her face. She was so distracted by how soft and caring he was being that she gasped from surprise when he entered her. He was big and stretching her to the fill. It felt unusual and amazing at the same time. She looked up at him and pressed her hips further up to let him know that she was ready to receive him again.

Slow and sweet turned to fast and hard, kind and caring turned to frantic and rushed, and the need and want only escalated. Elena's hands couldn't stay still on Damon's body. She wanted to touch him everywhere; make him experience all the wonderful feelings he was making her feel.

Her mouth stole kisses from him, the hard, bruising kisses making both of their mouths swollen and red. Her nails scraped down his back as he hit her g-spot over and over relentlessly. He kept going until Elena didn't think she could take it anymore. Her toes started to curl, the familiar feeling in her stomach started rising, and she saw stars the next time Damon slammed into her again.

Her walls closed around him and as she caught her breath Damon filled her. His body became taut and she held him close. He took care of her and so she could take care of him the best way she knew how. Her hands rubbed patterns and he leaned his head on top of her bare breasts. He was using her as a pillow while his limp penis stayed inside of her and Elena knew this was one of her favorite feelings.

"You're so sweaty," Elena teased breathlessly. Her fingers were running through his long strands of hair.

"You too," he nipped gently at her nipple. "Just give me a moment and I'll move."

"I thought vampires were supposed to have superior recovery time?" Elena smirked.

Damon glared up at her playfully. "You're asking for punishment, Elena."

She wanted to talk to Damon. The events of her birthday were running through her mind still, but she was glad that he wasn't being serious in that moment. He was giving her time to think about everything, to decide when and _if _she wanted to talk about things.

"Damon," she started. "I didn't realize they were Stefan's victims. Why didn't you tell me about them…about Andy?" Elena ended her sentence whispering Andy's name. She didn't know if it was a taboo topic between.

"You wanted me to say _happy birthday, Elena. By the way, Stefan is a full blown ripper and he just killed Andy. Eat some cake_. Yeah, I didn't think so," Damon said. "You didn't need to know anything specific until Alaric and I were sure." Damon ran a hand through his hair and pulled out of Elena. He rolled onto his back and looked up at her ceiling. "I tried so hard to protect you this summer, and in the end it was all for nothing."

"It wasn't for nothing," Elena gently said. She hesitantly put her hand on Damon's arm and squeezed. "Yes, I'm hurt. Stefan is gone and he's obviously shut off his humanity if he would do that to Andy and all those poor, innocent people. And you're right; he probably won't change in my lifetime, but is that a bad thing? I'm not so sure anymore."

"I'm here, Damon, with you. You found me tonight, hurt and broken and on a verge of a mental breakdown, but I'm okay now. For now, I can concentrate on this and move forward."

Elena knew that it was going to be hard to forget Stefan completely. She had held onto hope for all of the summer and now it was school time again. It was time to let Stefan go.

"So I'm a distraction, huh?" Damon smirked cockily.

Elena smirked back; taken out of her thoughts by Damon's exposed chest and abs and semi hard penis.

"Yes," she answered. She sat up and straddled Damon, feeling him against her heated core. "For tonight, I am yours and you are mine."

"For tonight," Damon agreed.

* * *

**Should I continue? Let me know please!**


	2. Blurry

**Author's Note-So I cannot thank you guys enough for the reviews, the encouragement, and all the likes and follows. The chapter may seem slow, but it's setting up for future chapters filled with drama. There's some sweetness in there too. A little bro bonding, and some more sibling bonding, and of course Caroline throwing in her two cents.**

**Review please!**

* * *

_Cause I am lost without you  
__I cannot live at all.  
__My whole world surrounds you.  
__I stumble then I crawl.  
_"Blurry"—Puddle of Mudd

Elena didn't know what to expect when she opened her eyes the next morning. She had never spent such a peaceful, fun night with someone and then wake up in the empty bed. But she knew, deep down, that it wouldn't have been fair to ask Damon to stay. They had agreed, not so much with spoken words, but with silent touches and looks that this wouldn't be serious. Sex between them wouldn't change anything.

Hell, Elena didn't even know if it would happen again. It probably shouldn't, she thought to herself as she got out of bed and stretched. She went to grab her robe and slipped it on before looking at herself in the mirror.

The emptiness in her eyes was still there, her lips a straight line, and her hair pulled in every direction. Sex with Damon had been amazing and after their third round she was spent and exhausted. She had fallen asleep in his arms and he had slipped out of her room after that.

A red blemish was on the side of her neck and she looked closer. Elena had forgotten that Damon had sucked so hard that he marked her. Delicately, her fingers traced the mark that wouldn't be hidden by makeup.

The mark made her lips curl in a small smile, but that still didn't change anything. Although sex with Damon was amazing and a great distraction from her heartbreak, it would only happen once. She wouldn't let herself submit to him again because a small part of her felt dirty and embarrassed for many reasons.

One, she was still his brother's ex-girlfriend. Elena might not have broken up with Stefan officially since he had left town, but she figured it was bound to happen from the moment she found out about his slaughter record. He had no humanity left. Stefan didn't love her right now and she couldn't make herself wait around for him when this was going to be her senior year.

And two, Elena had never seen herself as the girl who stooped so low for sex just to make herself feel better. She had used Damon, and he might have seemed okay with that to her face, she knew deep down if they continued sleeping together he would build up his hope each day. She would eventually have to turn him down again, and she didn't know if her heart could do that again. Until she knew that she was fully over Stefan, she was going to have to be fair to Damon and keep their friendship strictly platonic.

But it was easier said than done. Elena just hoped her body would resist Damon as much as her mind wanted her too.

"Elena?" Jeremy called with a knock.

"Come in, Jere!"

He looked like he had just woken up. "Where's Ric? He's not downstairs snoring."

Elena bit her lip and looked away from Jeremy. He caught onto her hesitation. "He left, didn't he?" Jeremy questioned.

"I'm sorry Jere," Elena said quietly. "He thinks that he can't help us; that he's a screw-up."

Silence stood between Elena and her brother. She knew Jeremy was taking the news just as hard as her and she was scared that Jeremy would resort to drugs again to cure his anguish. Instead, she changed the subject and forced herself to be her old cheery self.

"I think we should go and get breakfast. Just the two of us. A family," Elena suggested. "My treat."

"This summer our family also included Ric and Damon—as much as it pains me to say that." A light flickered in Jeremy's eyes though. "Maybe I should text them and invite them? One last hooray before evil school starts."

Damon…her breath caught in her throat as Jeremy said his name. He must have sensed something was wrong because he narrowed his eyes, but didn't say anything.

"Never mind. You and I need to catch up on things. I have something to tell you that I've been putting off for a while now."

Elena didn't like the fact that Jeremy was keeping something from her, but she figured she was too now. She had to tell him what she knew about Stefan; just in case Stefan decided to come back. Jeremy needed to know the truth; he couldn't trust Stefan Salvatore anymore…or at least for the time being.

"Okay. Let me get dressed real quick. There's something I have to tell you too."

* * *

"Day drinking already?" Damon quipped. He sat down alongside his friend and ordered bourbon. "What's got your panties in a twist?"

"I'm not in the mood, Damon," Alaric slurred.

"Fine, then what are you in the mood for? I could have the whole sorority house over; we could have our own party."

Alaric scowled. "You're a pig."

"Fine, if you won't have fun with me then I'm just going to cut straight to the point. Now normally, I wouldn't intervene, but you left a pretty sad birthday girl alone last night." Damon took a sip of bourbon. "Not cool, man."

Alaric rolled his eyes. "She called you about it?"

"No," Damon made a face. "I was over last night; right after you left her in tears."

"She was crying?" Alaric groaned. "See? I try to stay out of their lives and I still end up upsetting them. I am the worst guardian ever and…wait, why were you over last night?"

Damon noticed that Alaric almost sobered up by just hearing that information. He winced and kept quiet. He drank the rest of his bourbon and decided he needed to be drunk in order to finish this story.

"Damon," Alaric warned. "I swear to God, if you touched her in anyway then—"

"Then what?" Damon challenged. "And even if I did, she's eighteen Ric."

"Stay away from her," Alaric said with conviction. Damon decided that Alaric would never need to know that he slept with Elena. It wasn't his right and Damon really didn't feel like being hit with his right hook.

"What does it matter to you?" Damon smirked. "You're not her guardian, remember? You left."

"You know why I had to leave, Damon. I'm not a good role model for either of them." Alaric finished his drink. "See? I'm drunk at the local hang out in front of my students."

Damon wagged his finger. "Uh uh. It's still summer. They're not your students yet so don't have a pity party for yourself."

"Did you just come here to rub it in my face that I'm the most terrible person ever? Or is there a point to you bugging me right now?"

"My point is that you should really just get over yourself, beg Elena for forgiveness, gravel a little, and then move in." Damon motioned the waitress over again and she poured him more bourbon. He looked at Alaric's empty glass and grabbed onto the bottle. "You better leave the bottle." He added a wink that made her blush.

Alaric rolled his eyes. "How do you do that?"

"It's easy when you're as good looking as me, but that's not the point right now. The point is to get you drunk, and then send you on your way to the Gilbert house where they will welcome you back with open arms and campfire songs."

"Yah, and I'll continue to sleep on the couch because the idea of sleeping in their dead parents' room—which by the way, is not packed up yet so I would have to do it—or sleep in my dead girlfriend's room is so appealing."

Damon smirked. Either way, he would get his way. "Whatever you say, Ric."

"I'm serious, Damon. I can't go back. I'm human," he spat; the memories of being trapped in the witches' house during the sacrifice still very clear in his mind. "I can't protect Jeremy or Elena."

* * *

After Elena went to breakfast with Jeremy where they talked she decided to head over to Caroline's for lunch and a girls day. She didn't know if Jeremy seeing his dead girlfriends was a good or bad thing. They would have to wait a week to see what Bonnie had to say about it. Jeremy was at first against telling Bonnie but he knew he would eventually have to tell her.

"God," Caroline exclaimed happily. She plopped down next to Elena on the bed with a bowl of pop corn. "When was the last time we did a girls day?"

Elena pretended to think and then smiled. "Too long. I can't believe we stopped doing them." She was painting her toe nails a dark red as Caroline was busy filing her nails.

"Well life got in the way; not to mention both of our deaths. It's kind of amazing we're still here." Caroline grabbed something from underneath her bed and Elena giggled when the blonde showed her the vodka. "Drink?"

Elena bit her lip. "Only a little."

"So," Caroline started as she gave the bottle over. "I have to tell you something."

"Does it have anything to do with your phone buzzing for the last hour?" Elena teased. She had seen Tyler's name come up on Caroline's phone when the blonde was downstairs getting the pizza out of the oven.

"I sort of…slept with him…like slept _slept_ with him." Caroline looked at her with wide eyes.

"I was wondering when you two were going to do it," Elena finally said. She took one more swig of vodka before passing it back to Caroline who took a heady gulp. "And I have something to tell you, and I don't know how you're going to react."

"Elena, I just told you that I slept with Tyler—a guy who is notorious for being a jerk and selfish. Plus, I lectured you on your birthday last night about moving on from Stefan so whatever you're about to tell me will be harmless."

Elena took a deep breath. "I had sex with Damon."

Elena waited for Caroline to yell and scream at her. She waited for the tantrum that was sure to come. The red anger, pop corn spilling everywhere when Caroline finally comprehended what she said, or the flailing of the arms with accusations…but nothing came.

"Care?" Elena asked. "Did you hear me?"

Three…two…one.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Caroline screeched. "You're dating Stefan Salvatore! You can't just sleep with his brother; especially since that brother is Damon _freaking_ Salvatore! Have you forgotten that he's a killer?"

"He's not like that anymore. He's changed," Elena reasoned.

"The weather can change, Elena. Your moods can change. Hell, I think even addicts can change, however, Damon cannot change. No one; not Alaric, Stefan, or even you can change him."

"You're wrong," Elena fought back. She stood up and Caroline followed suit. "He's changed. You just don't want to admit it. You're still hurt by him."

"You're right!" Caroline shouted. "I am still hurt. He fed off of me. Damon used me, Elena. You do remember the bite marks he covered me with, right? How he came to Mystic Falls without a care in the world. If you hadn't looked like Katherine he probably would have killed you too, Elena."

Elena grabbed her jacket. "You know, you're my friend. You're supposed to support me and my decisions."

"I can't support decisions that I don't agree with. I can't believe you would betray Stefan like this."

Elena felt the tears prick her eyes, but she didn't let them show. "Stefan is gone. The sooner we realize that then the better."

"Is that Damon's thinking or yours? Because it seems to me you're doing exactly what Damon wants now."

"Fuck you, Care," Elena hissed before storming out.

* * *

When Elena got home she saw empty cardboard boxes scattered around the living room. She narrowed her eyes as she read some of the labels that said 'weapons', 'books' and ' clothes'. When she neared the staircase she heard someone grunting and then a familiar sound of Alaric's murmured voice.

She walked up the stairs and was surprised to see Jenna's room rearranged. "Ric?" She questioned.

He whirled around in surprise and visually relaxed when he realized it was Elena. He wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Hey."

"What are you doing?" Elena leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed. She had a big smile on her face; her previous argument with Caroline forgotten for the time being.

He scratched the back of his neck, looking around the mess he was creating. No longer was the bed in the original place, the dresser moved around too. "I'm trying to unpack, but then I realized Jenna's stuff was still here and then I didn't know what to do with it and…well…here we are."

Elena let out a chuckle and when Alaric looked at her with alarm she covered her mouth and held back another laugh. He looked so distraught and out of place that it actually put Elena in a good mood. She wasn't used to seeing Alaric so disheveled.

"I'm sorry, Ric. I can help if you want. We can move Jenna's stuff up to the attic for the time being."

"I got it." She must have looked taken aback because Alaric smiled softly at her. "I mean, I can do it. You probably have other things to do in your last week of summer."

Elena wished, but Bonnie was still gone for a few more days and she and Caroline probably wouldn't talk anytime soon either.

"I guess I can go hunt down a family recipe for the Founders potluck." Elena started to leave, but she poked her head back into the room. "What made you change your mind?"

"Would you believe me if I said Damon actually convinced me?" Alaric asked.

Elena smiled. Only a rare handful of people had the pleasure of seeing Damon and his nice side. She was glad that she was one of the few.

"Either way I'm glad you're staying. Jeremy and I have no one and no offense, but you don't have anyone either. We all kind of just fit together."

"Yah," he agreed in thought. "I guess we do."

* * *

Damon was pouring himself another glass of bourbon while preparing himself a fire. Most nights over the summer, with Stefan being gone and if he wasn't out searching for his dear younger brother, then Damon would spend his nights alone in the parlor with a good glass of alcohol and one of many books.

He had already spent the better half of the day cleaning up after Elena's party since Caroline felt like planning it but not cleaning up after herself, he had convinced Alaric to move back with the Gilberts, and had time to even run to the blood bank to stock up on his favorite blood.

Just when he was about to sit down there was a knock on the door and then it opened. He set his glass down and just when he made it to the one step to lead to the main hall, Elena came barreling in. Before he could say anything her hot little body was pressed against his as she stood on the upper step, her arms looped around his neck and she pulled him close with her lips.

He wasn't expecting this as her greeting. Damon was more expecting a slap on the face or a punch to the jaw for leaving her this morning. He was expecting regret in her brown eyes because she finally realized she made a mistake in sleeping with him the night before.

But her mouth kept moving against his and eventually he was responding. His hands slipped around her waist and pulled her closer, his penis starting to react to the friction between their bodies, and Damon didn't know what Elena was doing but he wasn't going to stop her.

"Thank you," she pulled away and rested her forehead against Damon's. Her hands tangled in his hair and she pulled slightly. He smiled right back at her when he noticed she licked her lips. Her eyes were glazed over with lust and Damon was sure his looked the same.

"For what?" She could have said anything and Damon still wouldn't know exactly what she was talking about due to being high on her kisses.

"You spoke to Alaric today. He's unpacking his stuff right now." Elena pressed a quick kiss to his lips again. "So thank you."

"If I would have known this is how you thank everyone then I would have started doing nicer things a while ago," Damon teased. "Is this why the quarterback always does what you ask? You pay him in sweet kisses?"

Elena rolled her eyes. "Don't be an ass. You'll ruin the moment."

"And what moment is that, Miss Gilbert?"

"This moment," she replied coyly, and then she pressed her body against his and her mouth connected with his lips. He hoisted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist like a pro. To the outside world they might have looked like two horny teenagers; stumbling to find the nearest wall to hump against, but to Damon and Elena they were with each other and that was all they needed in that moment.

When Damon let Elena breathe again she was nearly panting form lack of breath. "I really did just come over here to say thank you."

"Really?" Damon asked while unbuckling his belt. He caught Elena staring at him and he smirked. "So we should just stop right now? Maybe go play a card game?"

His hands stopped undoing his pants and Elena frowned. "No," she nearly exclaimed. "What we're doing right now is sufficient enough."

"You ready to let me rock your world?" Damon rasped out. He nipped at her jaw and made his way to her ear; blowing warm breath on it.

They held onto each other that night; tumbling over the edge of bliss together.

* * *

**Can these two really just have sex? Or will it turn into something more...review please.**


	3. Follow Me

**Seriously, thank you for the reviews, the favorites, or the likes. They are amazing. I hope everyone will keep reading. Let me know what you think.**

* * *

"You're feeling guilty  
and I'm well aware,  
But you don't look ashamed  
And baby I'm not scared."  
_Follow Me—Uncle Kracker_

Elena opened her eyes groggily. Judging by the light shining through the big, clear windows she knew it wasn't early morning. She stretched her back. God, when was the last time she had slept through the night?

But as she stretched and the rug brushed her bare back panic started to fill her veins. She wasn't at home in her bed; she wasn't even in a bed! She was at the boarding house with a very naked Damon right besides her.

Elena sat up on the haunches of her arms and looked around for her bra, panties, and dress. However, her eyes kept catching onto Damon in all his naked glory. His chest was rising and falling slowly, his hair a complete mess, and his lips still bruised from copious amounts of kissing.

A vivid image of his mouth tearing her back lace washed through her memory. The way his searing mouth played and teased and sucked on her lower lips made tingles erupt tin her body.

But she had to leave before he woke up. If he woke up then they would have to have the awkward conversation, and Elena wasn't ready for that. She didn't know what her feelings were for Damon.

She knew Damon was in love with her, and that she cared for him. But being in love with Stefan was still very fresh in her mind and heart.

Damon knew her feelings. Sometimes Elena though he knew them better than herself. And the night before he proved just how much they were thinking the same thoughts.

They had been lying on the ground both tired and spent.

"That was…" Elena started to say, but trailed off because words couldn't describe what they just did.

"I know," Damon smirked. He turned on his side and propped his head up with his arm. "The way you did that squeezing thing…holy shit."

Elena blushed and continued to look directly up at the ceiling. She had to pretend he wasn't looking at her or else the need for him would start to burn and consume her.

"You're cute when you blush," he admitted. It was the quietness of his admission that made Elena turn her head towards him. She sucked in a breath when his hand reached out and pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "It's very human. It reminds me of how soft and fragile you are."

"Do you ever miss it?"

"I used too," Damon admitted, "Back when I thought you'd prefer my human self."

"But not now?" Elena murmured.

"No, not now. If I was human I wouldn't be able to protect you."

There was a silent pause and then Damon moved again to lie on his back.

"What is this Damon?" Elena asked. Her emotions were all over the place.

"You're still in love with my brother, Elena."

"Damon, I want—"

"And it's okay." He whispered. "I don't care because you're going to heal from this."

"Just like you're healing from Andy and losing your brother?" She asked.

Damon smirked and their serious talk was over.

"Exactly," he agreed.

They must have drifted off because Elena didn't remember much after that.

* * *

When Elena got home all she wanted to do was go to her room and avoid Alaric and Jeremy. If they saw her in the same dress they might suspect what has transpired between her and Damon.

But right when she walked through the door she was busted right away because Alaric, Jeremy, and Tyler were scattered about the living room.

Elena winced slightly when she caught Alaric's eye. He knew exactly where she'd been all night.

"Elena!" Jeremy exclaimed. "We thought you had been taken like Caroline."

"What?" Elena asked in alarm. "I was just with her yesterday."

"Ric said he saw you at the house but then you disappeared and you left your phone here. We didn't know if it was Klaus."

Elena avoided Alaric's eyes and focused on Tyler. "How do you know she is missing?" Elena just remembered Caroline was avoiding Tyler the day before. Maybe she was still avoiding him?

"I went to her house last night since I hadn't heard from her and I ran into the sheriff. She said there was a disturbance. Caroline's room was destroyed; like there had been a struggle."

"They want our help," Alaric explained.

"Isn't that what you guys do?" Tyler demanded. "You help people. Caroline said so."

"Usually we wait until the bad guys attack and then we go into battle mode," Jeremy said.

"What do you need us to do?" Elena asked. She would never forgive herself if she and Caroline never made up.

Tyler took a sip of water and winced. "Damn, something's up with my taste buds today."

"I put vervain in your water. If we are dealing with another vampire we need to wear it or drink it," Alaric explained.

"That's what that tastes like?"

"Tyler, what's wrong?" Elena asked.

"My mom gave me vervain this morning too. She was acting really weird."

Elena, Alaric, and Jeremy all looked around. They knew what this meant.

"She knows, doesn't she?" Tyler asked.

"Go talk to her Tyler," Alaric instructed. "If there was a struggle with Caroline it probably wasn't your mom. But Carol may know something."

Tyler got up to leave, but Jeremy stopped him. "It's a full moon tonight. Do you…uh…need any help if we don't find her by then?"

Tyler was taken aback by his offer but declined before leaving.

"And we're sure it's not Klaus?" Elena asked.

"Pretty sure. He would have no need for her."

"Then what do we do?" Elena asked.

The only thing they could do was think to call Damon for help. Bonnie wouldn't be back that night to help with a locator spell, Liz had her deputies searching, and there really was no one else to call.

So when Damon came over Elena's worry subsided briefly. But when Alaric explained the situation to Damon he scoffed.

"What do you expect me to do?" Damon sat back in the chair and rested his hands behind his head. "Blondie wouldn't help me if the roles were reversed."

"You're a dick", Alaric muttered.

"If you won't do it for her then do it for me," Elena spoke up. She looked at Damon and pleaded with her eyes. "Please Damon."

A second passed before he caved. "Fine. I can try to track her, but I make no promises."

"Thank you," Elena squeezed his arm and the motion didn't go unnoticed by Alaric or Jeremy. "Let me just get a coat and we can go."

"No," Damon snapped. "Ric will come with me while you and baby Gilbert stay here where it's safe."

Elena was about to retort when Damon stood up, but he cut her off again. "Ready Ric?"

"You drive," he muttered.

"Ric!" Elena exclaimed, "You're agreeing with this?"

"Sorry, Elena, but he's right. It's too dangerous for you to go."

* * *

"Do you have any wolfsbane?" Alaric asked from the front seat of Damon's car.

"Does it look like I have it? My car's not a box to hold weapons in."

"Sorry if I want to be prepared on a full moon. I don't think we need to relive the end of last year," Alaric snapped.

Damon just smirked. He figured there was only one reason why he was receiving death glares from his friend. And the reason would start with an 'E' and end with a 'lena'.

"Let's skip to the chase," Damon started to say, but was cut off as soon as four paws, a snout, and glowing, angry eyes landed on the hood of his car.

"I'm guessing you wish you kept wolfsbane in your car," Alaric murmured.

"Now's not the time to be funny, Ric," Damon muttered back.

The wolf snapped its jaw and growled.

"That wolf is dead," Damon said smoothly. His car was pretty much fucked with indents and scratches now.

"Is that Tyler?"

"Yup," Damon popped the 'p'. They both cringed when Tyler growled again. "He probably didn't tie himself up properly without Blondie."

"Then you can't kill him."

"Watch me," The vampire hissed. "It's either him or us. I choose to kill him."

"You're not going to kill him, Damon!" Alaric raised his voice.

Tyler started to press his paws against the windshield and Damon and Alaric had no choice but to watch it crack.

"Not the glass," Damon moaned.

"Oh my God. Jeremy!" Elena yelled.

Elena and Jeremy were on the sidewalk and Jeremy was holding one of Alaric's many guns.

"Can those two idiots not follow directions?" Damon groaned. He didn't even like thinking about Elena in danger, and it seemed she couldn't avoid it.

"Shoot, Jeremy!" Elena instructed sharply.

And although Jeremy shot at Tyler he missed and the bullet went through the passenger's window. Alaric sucked in a breath as it grazed him and whirled by Damon. But that was more than enough to make Tyler's attention shift to them.

"Shoot again," Elena rushed out.

Jeremy shot again and then again and then again, all the time missing Tyler and hitting Damon's car. Damon looked at Alaric to make sure his friend was okay and nodded his head. Alaric was thinking the same thing and they exited the car.

Tyler took two leaps and he was in front of Jeremy and Elena. Of course, Damon groaned, Elena would step in front of Jeremy even though he was the one with a gun.

What happened next no one had anticipated. Elena dropped down to all fours as Tyler stood in front of her. She looked Tyler in the eyes and took a calming breath. They had a stare off and Damon was afraid if he advanced then Tyler would pounce on Elena and devour her alive.

But Tyler seemed to be looking at Elena curiously. He wasn't advancing on her or snapping his angry jaw. Whatever Elena was doing, it was working. He was calm and defenseless.

"Shoot now, Jere," Elena whispered so only Jeremy and Damon could hear. Alaric took a step forward, ready to help out but Damon put a hand out to stop him.

When Jeremy shot out again he missed Tyler and hit Alaric in the upper thigh.

"Jesus Christ!" Alaric exclaimed.

"Sorry," Jeremy called out frantically.

Before Damon could do anything Alaric was down on the ground. That was when Damon noticed Jeremy was shooting tranquilizers and not bullets. Alaric would be asleep for at least ten hours. He wouldn't wake up until the next morning.

Elena was still facing the wolf. She stared at Tyler with her trusting eyes and slowly, hesitantly put out the back of her hand for Tyler to sniff. His snout nuzzled her hand and Elena let out a breath of relief.

"It's okay, Tyler," Elena cooed.

When the wolf was distracted by Elena and her kindness that no one could avoid Damon used his vamp speed to come up behind Jeremy, grab the gun, and shoot Tyler in the side. He howled and snapped his jaws. Elena jumped back and landed on her butt in surprise.

All three watched Tyler take a menacing step forward before stumbling down. They watched as Tyler's eyes closed slowly and the wolf was down.

"How did he escape?" Jeremy asked with a breath of fresh relief.

"He didn't have Caroline to help tie him down," Elena murmured before slowly approaching Tyler. She tentatively reached out her hand and stroked his soft fur.

"Since when did you become the dog whisperer?" Damon asked harshly. He grabbed Tyler and hauled him over his shoulder. "We'll get him back to the boarding house; keep him in the cellar until he's changed back to two legs."

"Damon, I—"

"Don't, Elena," Damon hissed. "I told you to stay put and you two didn't listen."

"You would be dead right now if we didn't come!" Elena called out.

"But you would be safe," Damon retorted. "Now get Ric and put him in the backseat of my car."

Elena looked at Jeremy for a second before they both complied. Elena looked at Damon one more time, caught his eyes, and he looked away. He knew that if he spent any longer looking at Elena then he would cave and he didn't want to cave in that moment. She had to learn a lesson. She couldn't just keep putting herself in danger to save others. He meant what he said before. He would choose her in a heartbeat. No one else mattered when it came to saving her life.

But that didn't mean he liked being put in situations where Elena was in danger and so was Jeremy and Alaric. Damon knew it would tear Elena apart if anything happened to either one of them.

* * *

At the boarding house Tyler was safely locked in the cellar, Alaric was on the couch, and Jeremy and Elena were patiently waiting for him to wake up. Damon came sauntering into the parlor with his fourth cup of bourbon that night.

"Is Mrs. Lockwood okay?" Elena asked right away; standing up to be almost eye level with Damon.

"Perfectly fine. Tyler had her sitting behind bars and she saw everything," Damon smirked. "She's going to get Caroline back."

Elena pursed her lips. "She had Caroline taken away?"

"Yup," Damon popped the 'p'. He went for his fifth glass when Elena put her hand on top of the empty glass he was holding. Damon growled lowly as Elena stood between him and his alcohol. Jeremy looked between them both and squinted his eyes in confusion. "I think you should move your hand."

"Haven't you had enough alcohol tonight? I think we have bigger things to worry about now that the mayor of the town knows basically everything."

Damon rolled his eyes and turned towards Jeremy with fake, wide eyes. "Is she always this bossy and dramatic?"

Jeremy snickered at Elena's expense.

When Damon noticed the daggers Elena was sending his way he rolled his eyes again and held up his hands in a surrendering motion. He shook a little, but that was due to the alcohol making him unbalanced.

"Relax," Damon cooed. "Carol called Liz and Liz is retrieving Caroline from the old Fell cellar. Apparently Carol called in Bill Forbes because he's supposed to be good at dealing with vampires."

"Mr. Forbes is here?" Elena was sure Caroline was going through a rough time then. She never handled her dad leaving. He was a sore subject for the blonde vampire and if her dad was hurting her because of his distaste for vampires, then Caroline would need her friends as soon as she was freed.

"That's what Carol said," Damon sang before taking the opportunity to pour himself another glass. Elena scowled when he made a show of drinking it all in one sip. "So now that this horrible night is over I am going to bed. Feel free to sleep down here, but Ric won't be up for at least another eight hours."

"Is there something going on with you two?" Jeremy asked when Damon was upstairs.

"No," Elena snapped quickly. "Yes…I don't know. It's complicated."

Jeremy raised his eye brow and chuckled. "Damon Salvatore? Complicated? That's funny."

Elena sighed. "I know it's weird, and it's nothing serious, but—"

"Elena? We're close, but we're not _that_ close. I don't want to know if you're having sex with him. That's your business."

"Since when did you turn into the older sibling? All smart and stuff?" Elena teased.

"Since I died more than once and can see dead girlfriends. A guy kind of has to grow up after all that," he joked back and Elena frowned. "Too soon for jokes? Okay, duly noted."

* * *

Damon shucked off his shirt and threw it across the room. He was more than a little drunk and usually in this predicament he would go out, find some unsuspecting girl, and drain her dry. He would suck her veins clean until she would die softly in his arms and then he would either leave her in an ally way or bury her in the woods outside of town.

But Damon wasn't doing that. He wanted too; his gums even ached. However, there was one thing stopping him and that thing consisted of big doe eyes, a small body, and a stubbornness that would get them both killed someday.

He started unbuttoning his pants, but he heard her approach. He had her back to him but he could just picture her standing in his doorway with her arms crossed.

"I'm not sorry that Jeremy and I came out tonight. I'm not sorry he shot up your car. And I'm not sorry that we saved you guys." Elena walked into his room. Her steps were deliberate which meant she had a plan or a speech ready for him.

"Elena, I'm not in the mood," he snapped. She laid a hand on his turned back, her fingers softly grazing his shoulder but he pulled away and walked forward, heading straight to the bathroom.

She followed and he wasn't expecting her to grab onto his arm; her nails digging into his skin. She turned him with a shove and glared up at him. She crossed her arms when she thought she had his attention.

"Then I'll make you in the mood. You're not shutting me out, Damon. Something has you seriously upset and I want to know what."

Damon narrowed his eyes and pushed past her. He knew she could handle his shove to the shoulder and he turned on the water to his shower.

"You want to know what has me so upset?" He chuckled without humor. "Are you seriously asking me that?"

"Yeah, I am," she retorted with just the same amount of anger. "Because we won today, Damon. You're safe, Ric's safe, Tyler's safe, and now Caroline will be safe. It's over."

Damon whirled around. "It's never over, Elena! When will you get that through your thick head? It won't be over because you constantly put yourself in danger time and time again!"

"Did you honestly expect me to sit back while you and Ric go out and find Caroline? She's my friend Damon. I couldn't just do nothing."

They stared at each other; both breathing heavily from yelling. She took a tentative step forward and Damon wanted to stop her, but she was looking at him with dark, determined eyes. Her eye lashes fluttered and he knew he was a goner to her looks. She shakily took his one hand and held it between both of hers.

"I can't lose you again," he murmured with defeat. Elena's eyes crinkled with confusion before they widened with understanding. Damon was referring to the sacrifice and how he had to carry her limp body back to the witches' house. "Klaus thinks you're dead. We have to keep it that way, and tonight we didn't know if it was Klaus or not. You can't keep putting yourself in danger."

Damon watched his words float though Elena. Softness glistened in her eyes and he didn't like it. Her innocence in that moment reminded him of pity and Damon Salvatore didn't take anyone's pity.

What she did next surprised him. Her fingers that are much more experienced than he would like to think about started lifting her v-neck shirt over her head. She looked up at him before continuing and Damon didn't stop her. He wanted to see just how far she was willing to go.

"You've always been there for me, Damon." Elena unbuttoned her jeans before sliding them down her legs. She was left in a black lace bra and matching boy short panties. The image of Elena made his gums ache and penis harden.

Her fingers slowly trailed from his belly button to the button on his jeans. "Even when you came to town you were saving me."

She tugged his pants all the way down and he stepped out of them.

"We've always been honest with each other," Elena soothed. As he stood her tips of the fingers trailed up the length of his body.

Damon narrowed his eyes as a defense mechanism but he was sure the minx in front of him could see passed his façade.

"We've never hid from each other, so please don't hide from me now." Her bra floated onto the ground, dusty pink nipples hardening in the cool air, and then her panties were on the ground too. She was bare before him, showing no sign of embarrassment.

His dick was standing straight up, straining against his black boxer briefs. The feeling of her skin against his hips had him moaning at the slightest touch.

"You always take care of me. Let me take care of you tonight." She pressed her warm body against his and walked him back into the shower.

Damon let out a low primal growl when his back hit the glass wall. "Elena," he started to say but she pressed her lips against his to silence him.

"Let me take care of you," she whispered.

Her hand softly stroked him, using the pad of her thumb to circle his head. Damon hissed at the feeling, closing his eyes in pleasure. Her mouth was laying kisses all over his chest, her hand stroking him firmly and when her teeth tugged on his nipple Damon's fangs elongated and black veins flowed down his cheeks.

Elena moved, shifted positions so she could be on her knees. Her hands pulled his briefs down his soaked legs, tossing the offending item out of the shower. They landed with a 'plop' due to being wet but Damon wasn't thinking of that. All he could think about was the way Elena licked her lips, looking up at him so innocently.

"What do you want, Damon?" She cooed. Her fingers were slowly trailing over his hard erection, barely touching to tease.

Damon narrowed his eyes. His fangs were aching and his breathing ragged as he tried to pull them back in.

"Tell me what you want. Do you want to cum?" Elena asked. He had made her be vocal the last time they were together and although all she wanted was to take care of him, she wanted to hear him say it.

"Do you want my hand around you? Or my wet mouth to take you all the way so you can feel the back of my throat?"

"You're playing with fire, Elena," he warned.

"What do you want?" She repeated before wrapping her lips around just his head and moaning slightly when she tasted his salty pre cum.

"I want to fuck your mouth." Damon's hips jutted forward. "I'm going to fuck your mouth so good that you won't want another man."

When she looked up his fangs were nowhere to be seen and his black veins were gone. "I dare you," she challenged boldly before taking him in his mouth.

Damn wanted to last long, but with the way Elena was devouring him he knew he wouldn't. She would bring him so close to the edge, only to pull back like a little minx. Her tongue dipped and swirled; pulling a grown out of him each time. But just when Damon didn't think he would last any longer she deep throated him and vibrated around him.

She seemed to be moaning just as much as he was; enjoying the feel of dominating him. Damon's eyes rolled back to his head the moment she deep throated him again and her free hand reached up and played with his balls.

She was doing an excellent job of taking care of him. And he was right, he wasn't lasting as long as he hoped for because soon his hands were gripping her hair, controlling her and moving her head to a slightly faster pace. She kept up exceptionally well.

"Elena," he groaned out. "I'm going to cum…"

She didn't remove her head like he thought and she took everything he had to offer. Her mouth didn't move once until he was done emptying himself and when she pulled back she didn't look offended or grossed out like some.

She licked her lips, sighed, and stood up with a smile on her face.

The water was still cascading around them, her hair all stuck to her face, and her body glistening with tiny water droplets. She has never looked more beautiful to Damon.

"Your fangs are out again," she stated so casually. Before he could retract them, she reached out her hands quickly. "Wait! I want to…" And then she trailed off.

"You want to what?" He asked, trying to talk as normally as possible around his teeth.

Her finger gently touched the tip and she jumped back the moment it cut her due to the sharpness.

"They're beautiful," she whispered shyly.

Damon didn't comment. Instead, he slowly raised her finger with the small cut, and lowered his mouth to the wound. They didn't look away from each other as Damon took a small sip, and then pressed a soft kiss to the finger. The cut had closed quickly and when he pulled away Elena was blushing.

She had fed Stefan her blood like that for a while, but with Stefan he was always so unstable around her, however, with Damon, it was different. She found herself fascinated. He made her intrigued; what would it feel like if he actually did feed from her?

"Come here," he said. She walked into his arms and felt the beginning of his erection against her thigh again. He buried his mouth into her neck and she sighed with content. "I'm not going to bite unless you are okay with it."

"I know," she agreed. "I trust you." She wanted to tell him more. She wanted to open up and tell him that someday she might be able to feel more than trust for him; but she didn't want to give him false hope. For now, they were both happy being in each other's arms.


	4. Everything You Want

**Hello! I just want to say thanks to everyone who is supporting this story. There's a cliffhanger at the end of this chapter and I want to hear what you guys think about it! Happy Monday everyone! **

* * *

"You're waiting for someone to put you together.  
You're waiting for someone to push you away.  
There's always another wound to discover  
There's always something more you wish he'd say."  
_Everything You Want—Vertical Horizon_

Elena had distracted herself since the night they found Caroline and saved Alaric and Damon. She had to distract her mind from thinking about the intimate shower she experienced with the older vampire. And although the shower was intimate, their actions were fast, quick, and manipulative. They were quickly developing a pattern that their bodies and needs fell accustomed too.

As Elena grabbed ingredients from the pantry off to the side of her kitchen she accidentally let her mind slip to their shower scene. She figured it could be easily slipped into a pornographic movie. Just thinking about showering with Damon three nights ago made her cheeks burn red. Not to mention, his shower was see through so when pressed against the steamy glass someone could see everything going on between them.

Elena grabbed the cutting board and paused when she stood in front of the kitchen island. If she really concentrated she could still feel the burning sensation his hands caused on her skin. It was as if Damon's hands imprinted themselves on her skin. She knew that she had small bruises on her hips from where he gripped her but the searing sensation was more than that. It was pain and pleasure mixed into one. A wanting that only he seemed to be able to fill lately.

Elena had never been grossly obsessed with sex. She had lost her virginity to Matt and their sex was average for two high school virgins. And then sex with Stefan felt amazing. They had jumped into having sex; comforting one another and helping each other build their lives together. She was missing her parents and Stefan was trying to start life over again. However, sex with Damon seemed to be on a whole other planet. It was fast, raw, and lust filled. No matter what they did, she couldn't get enough of it.

Her eyes closed and Elena swore she could still feel Damon's body right behind her; molding itself against her curves. She had been pressed against the cold glass, water trickling down on them in their own private waterfall. Their electricity was never slow and soft. Everything they did, every single touch was fast and exhilarating. Elena was surprised that she wasn't craving the soft touches.

When with Stefan, she always had to be careful. He treated her like a glass doll. Their touches meant something when they were soft and light like feathers. Love was poured into each stroke and kiss. However, with Damon, the feelings were still there. They may not be gentle with one another, but Elena didn't need gentle. And his love still was amplified by each thrust and grip of the hips. And when he trails his hands over her body, it's like he's pulling her to him because he needs her.

Elena kept her eyes closed as she finally let her mind wander fully back to the shower. She had never felt so exposed before. She had even surprised herself with how bold she had been. Just thinking about the way Damon had finished in her mouth made her cheeks and neck turn beet red.

After he had her pinned against the glass he let his erection glide across the back of her. His hand was holding both of her hands above her head while his other hand was free to explore her body. His mouth had been hot on her ear when he whispered all the dirty things that he wanted to do. Elena was never one for verbally stating what was on her mind but she found that his words made her extremely wet.

Before Elena knew what was happening, Damon's mouth had started distracting her by nibbling her neck, his free hand grazed her lower lips.

"You are so wet for me," he husked out. A hint of bourbon was still lingering on his breath; mixed with the copper smell of her own blood from when she had cut her finger.

Elena should have known that he would pay her back for what she did to him. He was going to make her work for her own release just like she teased him.

"Damon, please," she whimpered just as his cold ring grazed her nub and her knees nearly buckled. He held her up, his body pressing firmly against her own so she wouldn't fall.

She felt him smirk against her skin before kissing her neck, collarbone, and any exposed skin he could reach. "Not yet," he smugly said. "First I need you to answer a question. Can you do that for me baby?"

Elena would have done anything for Damon in that moment; just as long as he kept touching her. His hand didn't stop; his fingers kept moving against her soft flesh. He was feeling every inch of her, his tips rubbing and grazing hastily against her skin.

"Damon," she moaned. Never in her life had she sounded so desperate.

His hips were moving against hers; pushing up so she felt his manhood between her thighs. Damon's multitalented tongue flicked her earlobe before he breathed: "Tell me how you play with yourself, Elena. Tell me everything baby."

Elena gasped when just the tip of him entered her. He was gone as if he was never there.

"Damon…I…I can't." She was panting and struggling against his hand that was holding her arms captive. She wanted to move and see him, but he kept her molded to his chest. He was dominating her; and not just physically. He was trying to get into her mind and it was almost working.

"_You can_," he emphasized by swirling his hips. "Tell me," he pushed her wet hair over one shoulder and started to smear kisses down her neck, along her back, and towards her shoulder again. No longer was his free hand at the center of her core, but instead, it was playing with her chest, squeezing and tugging until her nipples were hard and poking out just the way he liked. "How do you play with yourself?"

His fingers pinched her right nipple and she bucked her hips, her knees folding from the tingles rushing through her body. "Do you start by touching your breasts?" His fingers ran down her flat stomach, his ring was still freezing cold against her warm skin and she shook when it grazed her core once more. "Or do you skip foreplay and just enter yourself?"

His finger slid into her easily and Elena cried out in pleasure.

"Damon, I need more…please." She would do anything for Damon to keep touching her, and thinking back to their experience in the shower, Elena couldn't believe that she willingly begged Damon to touch her. She never thought she would see the day where she would willingly beg for something so badly.

"Tsk tsk," he chided playfully. "Naughty girls don't get to have any fun if they don't follow the rules." He removed his finger and Elena fought harder against his one hand holding hers together.

"Last week," she finally whimpered out. She closed her eyes when his mouth bluntly bit the back of her shoulder. "Before my birthday I touched myself." She was getting angry. Why did he have to make her say it? "Are you happy?" She hissed.

"Not yet," he murmured with a smile. His hand did let her wrists go however, and his hands slid down her body to grip her hips. He was getting ready to penetrate her. "Who were you thinking of?"

Elena would have froze in her spot if Damon wasn't constantly pressing himself behind her, pulling her back into him but at the same time holding her against the cold glass. She braced her hands by her head and laid her hands on the steamed glass, her prints visible.

He knew the answer the moment she hesitated and Elena hated him for it in that moment. "Why do you have to hear me say it?" She demanded.

His fingers tightened because of her tone. "Because I want you to remember everything you felt when he was gone. Now who did you think of?"

"You! I thought of you!" She exclaimed before Damon slammed into her.

Elena whipped her head up when she heard his voice. She was brought out of her trance when he walked into her kitchen as if he owned the place.

"Thinking of me?" He smirked before grabbing the knife out of her hand. She looked at him quizzically; trying to play it cool by not antagonizing him into sexual innuendos. "Two things that shouldn't be in the kitchen at the same time: Elena Gilbert and a cutting knife."

"Hey!" She smacked his shoulder but she still let him chop the vegetables that needed to go into the chili for the Founders Potluck. "I'm not that bad of a cook."

Damon rolled his eyes cockily. "And why are you making chili exactly? It's hot outside. No one likes to eat hot, meaty soup during the summer time. And _everyone_ makes chili."

"It's a family recipe," she scowled.

"It's a sucky family recipe. I've had it before and it's not the best."

Elena turned to look at him with her hands on her hips. "There's something different with you," she accused. "I don't know what it is but…you're smirking…and smiling."

"Maybe I'm just happy," he retorted. Before Elena could hear Alaric come down to the kitchen Damon greeted him. "Hey Ric."

"Hey," Alaric said. He was still groggy from the morning.

"What time did you want to go to the Founders Potluck? It starts around three." Elena took the knife back from Damon and started chopping the peppers.

Damon flared his eyes before taking it back from her and bumping her in the hip. Alaric watched the exchange and his mood suddenly changed. "I'm not really into those Founders parties and why are you here exactly?"

"It's the last day of summer. Where else would I be?" Damon deflected.

"He's happy, Ric. Can you believe it?" Elena started leaving the kitchen. She had promised Caroline that she would call her. They had made up the day after Caroline was saved. They didn't exactly talk about Damon but they both agreed their argument was stupid. "And we're leaving at three. I'm not taking no for an answer."

Damon chuckled at Alaric's expression. "What has you so happy?"

Damon continued following the Gilbert recipe. "Let's just say I can't get a certain experience out of my head. I was naked. You would have loved it."

Alaric groaned. "You're disgusting."

* * *

"I can't thank you enough for…you know…compelling Bill," Liz Forbes said as she and Damon stood in line for the Potluck. They had just visited Bill Forbes in the cellar and Damon had compelled him to leave town.

"It was tasty," Damon joked and widened his eyes as a joke.

Liz pursed her lips. "Just because I know about all of you doesn't mean I condone what you do, Damon." Liz waved at Alaric before walking away.

Damon watched the sheriff walk off before nodding at Alaric from across the table. He absentmindedly switched the Fell's nametag for chili to the Gilberts pot.

"At least this way people will think the Gilbert recipe has improved," Damon said. "Did you write a check yet?"

"We have to write checks for this thing?" Alaric groaned.

"This is how these things work." Both men walked along the table until they reached the end. Damon took a sip of the beer he was holding. "These parties are really just for the council to meet behind closed doors, talk about the vampire situation, and then drink until they are drunk." Damon patted Alaric on the chest. "Ooh, blonde bombshell over there. I think you have a chance."

Alaric narrowed his eyes. He ignored Damon's comment and squared off with him. Damon arched an eye brow. "I think you need to take a beat with Elena."

Damon rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Good one Ric. You almost sound like you care."

"I do care," he hissed. "I'm her guardian and this is me protecting her. I. Think. You. Need. To. Take. A. Beat." He spoke each word slowly and didn't back down when Damon took a step closer to intimidate him. Normally he would back off, but not when it came to Elena and Jeremy.

* * *

"So you're switching brothers?" Caroline asked.

Elena and she hadn't talked about Damon since Caroline's bedroom a few days before everything got crazy again. Elena really didn't want to fight, but Bonnie was already beating her to scolding Caroline.

"Caroline!" Bonnie exclaimed. She had just gotten back that morning and already she was roped into going to the Founder's Potluck.

"What?" Caroline asked innocently. "I just want to know why. If Elena can tell us an honest answer and it's a great one, then maybe I'll just leave her alone," she promised with a smile.

Elena rolled her eyes. The thought of Caroline leaving her alone about Damon was appealing, however, she knew that wasn't true. Caroline always had to throw in her two cents. "I don't know what's happening. I don't mean to keep running to him, but…he's different. He's changing."

"Like I said before, Damon cannot be changed. And you forcing him to change probably isn't for the best either," the blonde said.

"Caroline," Bonnie warned her friend. She looked at Elena with an apologetic face. "We're just trying to understand the situation."

Elena sighed and stood up from the park bench. "He's always been there when I needed him, and when he's around everything else just disappears."

"Will you please just admit that you're into him," Caroline said tiredly. She pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's been a long week and school starts tomorrow. So I'm just going to be blunt. You are falling for him. Everyone can see it."

Elena stared at her and Bonnie like a deer in headlights. But before she could retort a burning sensation attacked her chest and she yelled out in pain.

"What is it?" Bonnie jumped up.

Elena reached for her necklace that had burned itself into her skin. When Elena pulled it off quickly and threw it to the ground she was breathing heavily. Smoke simmered against her delicate skin and all three girls looked at the nasty looking mark.

"It was my necklace," Elena said with surprise. "It burned me."

Caroline carefully picked up the offending piece of jewelry by the chain and they all looked at the pendent.

"This may be a dumb question, but do you want it back?" Caroline asked.

The necklace represented everything she and Stefan had shared together. She always wore it to keep him close to her heart. But he was gone; never coming back. And even if he did come back, his humanity was almost long gone. He wasn't the Stefan she was used too anymore. Their relationship was over and so it was time she gave up the necklace once and for all.

She shook her head. "No. I don't know what just happened but I'm not getting burned again." Elena looked at Bonnie. "Is there something you can do Bonnie? Maybe it's something magical."

"Yeah," she agreed. "I look through Emily's grimoire."

"Okay. I'm going to go get some ice or something to cool this burn off."

Elena started walking away but she didn't miss Caroline call out: "We're not done talking."

"Caroline!" Bonnie exclaimed once more in frustration.

* * *

Damon loved drinking from the vein. For a moment, as his teeth sunk into Bill Forbes once more, he couldn't remember why he ever stopped. But when he pulled back a little to cherish the spilled blood, he remembered one girl.

Elena fucking Gilbert.

She was the reason why he was changing. She wanted him to be the better man. She needed him to take care of her. She wasn't done healing yet and she needed him. But in that moment Damon didn't want to change. He wasn't going to change who he was. Elena willingly cared about him knowing what he really was. There was no need to hide from her anymore.

But snapping Alaric's neck might have taken it a bit too far. Damon indulged himself in Bill's blood to block out the horrendous look on her face when the 'snap' rang through the air. Damon blocked out Elena's surprise and a small bit of terror on her face as he pulled back with a smirk.

Blood was smeared down his chin and he didn't both cleaning it up. Usually he tried to be a bit cleaner, but his bite wasn't exactly the best bite either to control the blood. Just as he was about to finish Bill off, a force knocked into him and threw him across the room.

"Come to join the party, Blondie?" Damon taunted as he stood up.

Caroline was hunched over her father, but she still managed to send him a glare. "Back off Damon."

"And who's going to make me?" Damon asked with a smirk. He approached Bill and Caroline again.

"Me," she hissed. Her arm flung out to punch him but he easily deflected it and knocked her onto the desk. Pens and papers went flying, but Damon nor Caroline cared. She was down and Damon was ready for a good fight.

He jumped up to crouch above her. "I'm stronger than you little girl," he threatened. His hand reached down and he started choking her.

Both her hands gripped his. "But I'm angrier," she yelled before snapping his wrist and using her legs to push him off and into the adjacent wall.

She rushed to her dad and grabbed him. Using vamp speed she flew out of the room and passed by a confused Elena in the doorway.

"Damn," Damon swore as he stood up. He still had blood running down his chin and Elena glared. "I always love a good girl fight."

"You can't do this anymore Damon," Elena cried out in frustration and anger. Damon pretended not to notice the small tears glistening in her brown orbs. "Not in this town and not around me!"

"Why not?" He challenged. The vampire took a step forward and Elena winced as her eyes looked at the blood on his chin again. "Why is it so important for me to act a certain way? Because newsflash Elena, the last time I checked I was still a vampire. Vampires need to feed…on human blood," he reminded her with a dark tone and she shook in her spot.

"I don't want you to act how others see you!"

Damon rushed up to her and gripped Elena's shoulders harshly to keep her in place. She tilted her head back so she could see Damon's whole face. The smell of blood, bourbon, and leather filled her nostrils. She would never admit it, but the smell soothed her; even if Damon was in one of his self destructing moods.

"I am a monster and I _love_ it!" He yelled to get his point across.

"No, you're not Damon. You're a good person who cares about—"

"I don't care about anyone besides myself and you, Elena! Everyone else can go fuck themselves and if they all disappeared then I would be even happier!"

His fingers were shaking as he held her tighter. Damon was sure he was hurting her somehow but she wasn't showing it. Instead, her eyes were softening and he didn't want that. He needed her to see just how much of a monster he was. She had to understand so that way she could make a decision about wanting to be with him. She needed all the facts.

"I love you Elena, but I am a monster. I kill people because I like doing it. I love draining women dry. My favorite part is drinking from them and then hearing their heartbeat slowly stop in my hands. I have slaughtered families for the fun of it, and I will continue killing until I die because that's who I am. I am selfish and stupid and I fall for my brother's girl. I care so much about you but I'm not willing to stop killing. I need the kill…the blood…the power."

Elena's eyes hardened for a moment before she spoke. But when she did speak she surprised Damon; causing the anger to flare up even more. "You're not a monster."

How stupid was she? Damon had to wonder. Did she not just hear his words; his confession?

"Yes," he said sadly. "I am."

And then his bloody lips were on hers and Bill's blood smeared between their chins. Elena struggled the first minute, trying to push Damon off of her as she refused to kiss back, but he backed her up into the wall with a thud. Her back hit the hard surface as his hands gripped her face so hard he was sure he was bruising her.

"Damon," she pleaded as his lips traced down her neck and he breathed in her scent. Her veins were running through her body and his teeth ached to dip into her sweet skin and taste her once more. He could vaguely remember biting her when he was infected with werewolf venom, but that wasn't enough for him.

He kissed down her exposed skin, the dress she was wearing dipped lower than normal so he had the chance to kiss her more. She was breathing heavily beneath him and when she had stopped fighting he let go of her hands and let his fingers grip onto her leg harshly. He wasn't soft by any means and she cried out as his pushed his hand under her dress and went straight for her damp panties.

"You like this side of me," Damon growled possessively. He looked up at her as his fingers ripped her panties off of her body and she gasped in surprise and a little pain as the band of her thong tore across her soft flesh. "Admit it," he demanded as his finger entered her without warning.

Her hands gripped his shoulders to steady herself. Damon's eyes looked over her face. He couldn't read her eyes, but they were getting darker by the minute. The pure lust he was use to seeing was taking over her. Blood was stained on her lips and a little was dried on her chin; matching him.

"Tell me to stop and I will," he instructed darkly. His fingers pumped her for a second before he added a second digit. He wasn't one for forcing girls to do anything. If Elena really wanted him to stop then he would have by then, but pleasure was filling her body and soon she was dripping wet for him.

"I can't hear you Elena," Damon taunted. "Do you want me to stop?" He kneeled down in front of her and pushed her dress up further. His head was at eye level with her core. Damon rested his forehead against the inside of her thigh and he took a deep breath; allowing the scent of Elena to infiltrate his senses. He bit down with blunt teeth and tugged sharply.

"Damon!" She cried out. Elena went to put her hand on Damon's cheek, but he knocked her hand away. If she was willing to touch him so intimately then she obviously didn't understand just how bad of a person he is.

"Get it through your head, Elena. I am bad." His fingers didn't stop and he used blunt teeth to bite the inside of her thigh again.

She trusted him too much. It was only a matter of time before he would break an unspoken promise between them or disappoint her. And when he looked up at her she was biting her bottom lip so hard to keep from screaming that she drew blood. His nostrils flared at the smell and he released her skin.

Adding a third finger to stretch her had Elena's body convulsing. He watched greedily as her world crashed around her and the only look she had on her face was one of satisfaction.

Damon stood up and his face hardened. "What I'm doing to you is wrong." Damon unzipped his pants and his erection sprang free. Elena gulped as his stare pinned her down. She was breathing heavily and her pulse spiked. She was finally starting to understand him.

"Damon," her voice wavered as his face nuzzled her neck. His teeth grazed her skin dangerously. "We can't here…I can't…again." But her hips still pushed forward to find some type of friction. "I'm too sensitive."

"Too bad," he groaned into her skin before he thrust forward and filled her without holding back. She had to see just how bad he was for her. But when he looked at her again he couldn't remember why he would ever want to push her away.

She looked like a hot mess with blood coating her bottom lip, red smears on her chin and neck now, and her eyes glazed over with hot passion. But something made him freeze. The ugly mark on her perfect skin. Damon wanted to push Elena away, but he didn't want to physically hurt her. His fingers lightly touched around the wound; contrasting with his hard, relentless thrusting.

"Necklace," she gasped. "Burned me. Oh! Don't stop!"

Damon pressed into her until he was seeing stars. Elena was clenching around him by the time he slowly released her hips. When they both looked down there were black finger shaped bruises covering her skin. He was sure her back probably had marks too due to the force he used.

"This can't happen again," he warned. When pulling away he felt the cold air hit him in his face, but he didn't let his feelings show. Gruffly, he packed himself back into his jeans. "Whatever this was is over now."

I don't believe you," Elena said, although the tears in her eyes and the tremble to her voice deceived her. "This is what you do Damon!"

"It'll be easier if we just don't see each other for a while now." He turned his back on Elena and started for the door.

"You think you don't deserve something, so you destroy it! Don't just walk away this time!"

"You've made it perfectly clear that it's always going to be Stefan. I'm done trying to be changed." He sighed as he heard the first tear escape her eyes. "You should be able to live your life, Elena. You're eighteen; enjoy it," he said more softly before using vampire speed to leave her behind.

* * *

Elena had finally left the potluck dinner. Alaric had texted her that he got a ride home with Jeremy. And so she drove herself back; effectively dodging Bonnie, Matt, and Carol on her way out.

"I'm home!" She called up the stairs tiredly. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the kitchen light on but heard no sounds. She felt exhausted physically and mentally but she figured she should make sure Jeremy and Alaric were alright.

Elena frozen while slowly approaching the doorway. "Jeremy? Ric?"

"Alaric!" Elena shouted once she spotted her teacher lying on the ground unconscious.

The history teacher was on the ground not breathing. She rushed over to her guardian to make sure he had his ring on. Tears flooded her eyes as she saw on the other side of the kitchen the struggle that must have taken place. Knives and wooden spoons from the counter were strewn all over the floor.

"Don't worry," A voice said from behind. "I wasn't the one to snap his neck. He was like that when I got here."

Elena slowly stood up as fear shook her body.

"Look at me, Elena. Don't do anything stupid either."

Elena turned and took a silent gulp. There was something different with the way he sounded. A crazed look was in his eye; making him seem more unstable than ever before.

"Stefan…"


	5. Holding Out For a Hero

**Author's Note-I know it's been more than a week, but any author knows that life gets in the way sometimes. I just want to say thank you to whoever reviewed. Your reviews seriously inspired me to put aside homework, studying, and life to just sit and write. I really hope you like this chapter. It might seem slow to some but others might appreciate it. I personally really like the last scene. Let me know!**

* * *

"I need a hero.  
I'm holding out for a hero  
'til the end of the night.  
He's gotta be strong,  
He's gotta be fast  
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight.

I need a hero.  
I'm holding out for a hero  
'til the morning light.  
He's gotta be sure,  
It's gotta be soon  
And he's gotta be larger than life."

_Holding Out For a Hero—Ella Mae Brown_

"This is a disaster!" Caroline exclaimed as she paced around the Gilbert kitchen.

Alaric had his head in this hand, but when Bonnie offered him an ice pack he gladly accepted it. His neck was killing him and a headache was slowly setting in.

"So Jeremy was taken by Katherine and we have no idea where Damon or Elena are," Tyler stated slowly.

Matt grunted in displeasure. He was standing off to the side, far away from Caroline and Tyler. He was only there because he was with Bonnie at the potluck when she got a call from Alaric.

"I was waking up a little when I thought I heard Elena's voice. Someone else was here too, I think. But it wasn't Katherine. It was a male's voice."

"So we have two people we're dealing with," Caroline summed up. "I already called my mom and she put out a search party for Jeremy and Elena. Maybe that will help for the time being. Bonnie, can you do a locator spell or something? We have a bunch of stuff here that belongs to Jeremy and Elena."

"I can try. My magic is still a little off since the beginning of summer, but I'm getting stronger. I just can't do new spells that well," Bonnie trailed off while biting her lower lip.

"I'm sorry to hear that Bonnie," Stefan's voice spoke in an even tone. Everyone in the kitchen looked around hesitantly, but Caroline was the one to make the first move.

"Stefan." She approached slowly, her eyes looking him over. "Do you know what happened?"

"I'm here for one thing Caroline, so if I were you I'd stop walking and put down the vervain dart." His words were cruel, but effective as Caroline stepped back with fright.

"What do you want, Stefan?" Bonnie spat. "If you're not here to help us then get out."

"I'm just here to collect what Klaus wants." Stefan looked around the room with a devilish smirk. He circled the small group before he stood in front of Tyler. "Consider this incentive to do what Klaus wants. We hold Elena and Tyler prisoner while you figure out why he can't make hybrids."

Before anyone could say or do anything, Stefan and Tyler were gone and the front door was left swinging open.

"I can track them," Caroline said with determination.

"Not by yourself," Matt argued. He grabbed one of Alaric's guns from the table and loaded it with wooden bullets. "I'm going with."

"Care," Bonnie whispered in shock. "I don't know if I can figure out what Klaus needs."

Tyler's and Elena's lives hung on the line. Everyone knew it.

"You two keep looking," Caroline and Matt headed towards the door. "And keep calling Damon!"

* * *

"This is your plan to get Stefan back? In an old, creepy cemetery?" Damon sarcastically asked. Damon looked around their surroundings and narrowed his eyes. Cracked, uncared for graves scattered the grounds and at the top of the hill a crypt overlooked the grounds. "What are we doing here?"

Katherine crossed her arms and smirked. "You're always impatient. Maybe that's why your relationship with my doppelganger isn't working out so well."

Damon gritted his teeth and took a step closer. Elena was the last thing he wanted to talk about; especially with Katherine.

"Okay, okay," she surrendered. "Now if I show you something, you promise you won't get mad?"

"What did you do, Katherine?" Damon followed her to the back of the trunk. If he concentrated he could vaguely hear a heartbeat. "Who did you put in the trunk?"

Katherine opened the vehicle and Jeremy was revealed. He was just waking up and he jumped when he saw the two vampires looking down at him.

"You stole Jeremy Gilbert?" Damon looked around the trunk and he glared at Katherine while snatching his phone back. "And you took my phone?"

"We made an agreement, Damon." Katherine cocked her hip. "No distractions, remember?"

Damon put his phone away without checking it. "Let's just get this over with."

"Agreed. Because as much as you might like to believe, I loathe being around you." Katherine poked Jeremy in the chest. "Come on! Wake up!"

Damon rolled his eyes. "I feel the same. Being with you is no walk in the park."

* * *

Elena slowly opened her eyes. She made her first mistake and tried to move, however, her body turned against itself and screamed out in protest. However, she was able to make small movements to take in her surroundings.

She was in a dark room with only the moons light shining through. There was one ladder in the middle of the room, paint covered sheets on the ground covering partial of the floor, and old paint buckets sat in the corner of the room.

"Good, you're up," Klaus spoke while standing in the darkness. He stepped out with a smile on his face.

Elena raised her hand to her head and winced when she hit a delicate spot. Something wet and sticky coated her fingers.

"Yes," Klaus said. "I'm afraid you didn't cooperate when Stefan asked you to come. He had to use force." Klaus gripped her harshly by the arm and pulled her up.

"I'm not a patient man, Elena," the hybrid hissed. He dragged her along until Elena was able to make her legs work. "You're supposed to be dead. And I have a feeling that by you being alive means that I can't make my army of hybrids. What are we going to do about that?' They didn't stop moving through the maze of the house until they were in a large room that resembled the parlor.

He pushed her into the one chair in the center of the room. Surrounding her, along the walls, twenty scared people stood chained to the wall by their ankles.

"Tyler!" Elena called out. He wasn't just chained to the wall by one ankle, but by both feet and wrists. Stefan was standing off to the side, his hands folded in front of him. "Do something Stefan!" Elena pleaded. "Don't let Klaus do this!"

Her body went flying through the air right when Klaus's hand connected with her cheek. Landing in a heap on the floor, a bright red handprint on her cheek, Elena looked right at Stefan in a silent cry for help.

For a brief moment she saw the Stefan she fell for; the vampire who wanted to be a doctor and help people. But the softness in his eyes was gone before she could look away.

She glared at him, transferring all her hate and anger into one stare. Stefan's rough fingers tugged her to him and shoved her back into the chair.

"Let's begin with the questions, and don't bother lying, love. I see you've ditched your vervain necklace."

Klaus advanced and roughly held her chin in place. He looked directly into her eyes when he asked: "How are you still alive?"

* * *

"This is so boring," Katherine complained dramatically. "You're kinda boring baby Gilbert and Damon's all pouty after getting into a fight with your sister."

Jeremy grimaced. "Sorry, I would be in a better mood but you kidnapped me. That's kind of illegal and I really didn't want to spend my last night of summer being around you."

"You're feisty," she purred. Her slim fingers tickled his shoulder. "I like it."

Damon and Jeremy both gagged. "And you look like my sister. You're gross."

Damon's phone buzzed again. He groaned while sliding it out of his pocket.

"Will you just answer that already? All that buzzing is annoying while we wait." Katherine hopped off the bench and quickly grabbed the phone. Damon tried to get it back for a second before giving up and slouching back down again. "Ooh, ten missed calls from Alaric—he's probably trying to find Jeremy. Five missed calls from that annoying blonde girl—are you sleeping with her again?" Katherine taunted. "And this last call is from the witch bitch. That's interesting." She flashed the phone in front of Damon's face again. "Let's call her back!"

"No!" Damon exclaimed along with Jeremy.

"Keep Bonnie out of this. You already have me contacting Anna. We don't need to drag Bonnie into this too," Jeremy reasoned.

"You haven't told her about ghosts yet?" Damon asked.

"She wouldn't like it."

Damon shrugged. "Fair enough."

"Are you two done having girls talk?" Katherine asked impatiently.

"Bite me," Damon growls.

"You know, before I call Bonnie back there is something you two need to know. In fact, I'm surprised you guys haven't asked this yet." Katherine circled Damon and Jeremy on the picnic bench. "Aren't you guys wondering who this Mikael vampire is?"

"He's a vampire hunter," Jeremy said easily. "Anna said that he's dangerous and that we don't want to wake him."

"Did she say why we didn't want to wake him?" Katherine hummed. When both were silent she tossed the phone back to Damon. "He's a vampire who only feeds off of vampires…supposedly. He's also Klaus's father."

"Daddy Mikaelson?" Damon asked skeptically. He stood up and crossed his arms. "Bull shit."

"I don't know the whole back story, but I do know that it was Bonnie's mom who desiccated him. You want to know why she would do that knowing she would lose practically all the magic she had? Why she sacrificed her special abilities just to put one vampire hunter in the ground when she despised vampires herself?"

Damon narrowed his eyes while Jeremy looked back and forth between the two vampires as if they were a tennis match.

Katherine smirked. "Because Miranda Gilbert asked her best friend, a Bennett witch, to save her daughter. And who was Miranda's daughter? None other than Elena Gilbert herself."

Damon's phone rang again and this time it was Alaric's name that floated across the screen. Damon scowled because the fact that Elena's life was in jeopardy right when she was born was too much. He thought, they all thought, trouble started when the Salvatores came back to town; not when Elena was born.

Damon walked twenty feet away, enough distance to block out Katherine and Jeremy. "Ric," Damon answered.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Alaric hissed. "Snapping more peoples' necks?"

"If you called for an apology then you're not getting one. I'm hanging up in three….two…one."

"Wait!" Alaric called out frantically. "It's Elena and Tyler…and Jeremy."

"Jeremy's fine," Damon easily said. He smirked at how Katherine and Jeremy were bantering back and forth about what Miranda Gilbert supposedly asked Abby Bennett to do. "He's with me and Katherine. I guess you got your neck snapped more than once tonight. I heard you put up a good fight against the she devil though."

"We'll talk about that later, but right now Elena's missing. Stefan took her which means—"

Damon gripped his phone tighter, for a moment fear took over his body as his eyes crinkled in worry. "Which means Klaus has her and he's not happy."

"And then Stefan came back. He took Tyler. Klaus wants us to figure out why he can't make hybrids or else Tyler and then Elena die." Alaric sighed. "How soon can you get here?"

"I'm on my way," Damon said. "I'll be there soon."

He snapped his phone shut, hesitantly looked over at Jeremy and decided he didn't need to know that Elena was missing and in danger. The kid didn't need to worry anymore than he already did. Damon sped over to Katherine and grabbed the keys from her pocket without her being able to stop him.

"Damon!" Katherine exclaimed.

"Change of plans. You babysit baby Gilbert and I have to go take care of some things."

Damon started stalking to the car. "Don't think I didn't hear your conversation, Damon!" Katherine called after him. "You're going to get yourself killed! And if you die then she's going to die and then our plan to save Stefan will be jeopardized. Don't be stupid!"

Damon paused before getting into the car. "If I don't try then she really will be dead."

* * *

Caroline and Matt came back twenty minutes later. "Well?" Bonnie asked.

"I traced him to the outskirts of town. Matt pulled up some map and the only thing out there is this abandoned mansion. It doesn't seem like Klaus's style since it's really rundown, but it's secluded and big; just the way Klaus likes things."

"I've been working on a plan of attack, but Damon's not here and we need his strength," Alaric said.

"Bonnie?" Caroline asked hopefully.

"I haven't found anything. I've been going over the spell but there's nothing that says why Klaus can't make his army, and then I got to thinking, why did he take Tyler and not me or you?"

Everyone was silent but then the front door opened. Damon entered the kitchen with a stone face.

"My baby brother took Tyler because of his werewolf gene. Klaus is trying to make hybrids and he needs werewolves first, then he completes their transitions by feeding them his blood. That's what he's planning on doing."

"About time," Caroline growled. "Where the hell were you? And why do you smell like…Katherine and Jeremy?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "So not the time Blondie. And I've been thinking—"

"That's a first," Bonnie muttered.

Damon ignored her. "There are always consequences to spells; something always has to be a balance. For the spell, Klaus needed to drain Elena dry; to kill her to become a hybrid. If Elena stayed dead then her blood couldn't be used for anything else. The spell was never intended for Klaus to make his army because in order to keep the balance—"

"It's Elena's blood. To make more hybrids they have to drink from her. That's why the ritual killed her; so he couldn't make any more monsters, but now that Elena's alive he can create his army," Bonnie finished.

"So what do we do?" Caroline asked Alaric.

It took Alaric five minutes to explain what they should do, however, Damon didn't look happy. Caroline and Bonnie looked at each other and they were both chewing on their bottom lip. Usually they had more people helping when it came to big plans, but they didn't have anyone else to call.

"I can try to harness as much power as I can, but it won't keep him down for long; especially if he's even more powerful than last time," Bonnie said.

"Well then, let's go," Damon directly. He clapped his hands twice, "Chop chop kiddies."

Matt rolled his eyes. "Dick."

* * *

Klaus looked down at his watch and smirked. "It seems your friends aren't too keen on saving your life again. It's time to show them I don't mess around. Stefan!" Klaus ordered. Elena watched in horror as Stefan unchained Tyler and brought him forward. His grip was tight as Tyler struggled at first, but the moment a snapping sound echoed off the wall, Tyler howled in pain, cradling his hand against his chest. "I think you earned yourself a taste, Stefan. I know you've always wanted too."

Elena's eyes widened in fear. "If he starts he won't be able to stop, Klaus," Elena pleaded. "Please don't, Stefan. You don't have too."

Stefan looked between Elena and Klaus, uncertainty in his eyes. He took a step forward but then a step back.

"It's okay, Stefan. You don't have too," Elena soothed. She wanted to get out of the chair, but Klaus compelled her to stay in place. She was powerless.

"Stefan," Klaus warned. "Bite her."

"I…" Stefan stammered. Sweat dripped down his face as he breathed heavily.

"Stefan," Elena pleaded once more but then yelped in surprise as Klaus yanked her hair back, effectively opening her necks view to the hungry vampire. She watched as Stefan licked his lips and his eyes changed slowly.

Within a second he plunged deep into her skin, his sharp fangs piercing her neck as he took shallow gulps. Elena squeezed her eyes shut; trying to block out the pain of being bitten by her ex-boyfriend. When Elena thought she could take no more she was actually glad when Klaus spoke up.

"That's enough mate." When Stefan didn't stop Klaus pushed Stefan away, ripping Elena's skin even more from the brute force. Klaus smiled down at Elena. "There's really no wonder why he likes your blood so much. I've tasted it myself and it was to die for."

They all watched as Stefan went flying across the room, blood smeared on his lips and pale cheeks. He staggered up, his foot damaged from Klaus. It popped back into place automatically as he stared at Elena in shock.

The hybrid circled Tyler who looked around with wide eyes. It was clear that he was uncomfortable and waiting for his moment to strike, however, he never got the chance too because Klaus used vampire speed to bite into his own skin, pour blood down Tyler's throat, and then he snapped his neck.

"No!" Elena screamed through tears. She tried to move from her spot, but she was still compelled to sit.

"We're going to try an experiment if your Bennett witch can't figure out what I want. When he wakes up, he's going to be hungry. I want you to offer your blood to him. Do you understand?" Klaus griped her chin again and looked into her eyes.

"Yes," Elena hissed with disdain.

"In fact," Klaus smugly said. "I want you to offer _all_ of them your blood. At that time, you can move from the chair. Understand love?"

"I'm not your love," she growled roughly.

Klaus's smile dropped; his patience wearing thin. "Do you understand?" His hand gripped her wound and pressed into it. Elena squeezed her eyes shut from the pain that shot through her body.

"Yes," she whispered with defeat.

When she opened her eyes she was shocked to see Klaus speeding through the captured wolves, shoving his blood down their throats, and then Stefan snapping their necks.

"What are you doing?"

"I think I know why I can't make hybrids. It's because they haven't been drinking your blood," Klaus said. "I drank your blood and I turned. And now that you're here, we're going to see if this works."

Elena gulped. If she fed twenty starving hybrids in transition she would surely be dead. In that moment, Elena knew her future wasn't looking so bright. In fact, it was starting to look like a vampire feast with her as the main course.

* * *

"How do you know it was my mom who asked Abby Bennett for help?" Jeremy asked Katherine as they hiked their way up the steep hill to the crypt that supposedly held the sleeping Mikael.

Anna had gotten back to Jeremy as quick as she could; she warned him that if they did this then all vampires would be in trouble, and when Jeremy told Katherine she didn't seem to care.

"I mean, that would have happened at least eighteen years ago, and that was before vampires came to town."

Katherine sighed. "Elena is a Petrova. Yes, she is part Gilbert, but there is more Petrova in her than I like to admit. I never leave loose ends and so when I heard about Isobel having a girl, I knew I would have to watch…and protect."

"Protect?" Jeremy narrowed his eyes. "You only care about one thing: yourself."

Katherine raised her chin defiantly. "That's what everyone believes, and they believe it because I want them to think it. I knew there would be another doppelganger sooner or later and so I had to make sure that she was safe until—"

"Until the ritual," Jeremy bit out. "So you could bring her to Klaus who would cut you a deal and leave you alone." Jeremy rolled his eyes. "See? Selfish. You only looked after your family to make sure there was a doppelganger to take your place."

Katherine ground her teeth but put on a tight smile. "I did what I had to do to survive. Mikael wanted to kill the doppelganger right away. He would have killed Elena as a baby. You wouldn't have even known her if I hadn't compelled your mom to go to Abby Bennett."

Jeremy turned on Katherine with anger. "You did that!? You invaded my mom's mind. And now Abby has fled because she helped my family. Bonnie has no mom because of you!"

"But you have Elena because of me."

There was a silence between them. Jeremy thought over Katherine's words as they stopped in front of the crypts door. He didn't want to admit it, but Elena was able to live her life because Katherine protected her as a child. She might have done it for all the wrong reasons; one of them being keeping Elena alive so she could be handed over to Klaus at a later date, but they were able to stop him months before. However, Katherine still only did things for herself. People were only lucky to be helped by her if it suits her own needs.

"Let's just wake him and get the hell out of here," Jeremy sighed.

* * *

Elena's eyes dropped shut as her body shook on the floor. She was lying on her back as the last of twenty vampires fed off of her. Tyler had woken up first and she had no choice but to offer him her blood. She was able to stand from the chair, and as Tyler looked at her leaking blood on her neck his teeth shifted for the first time and he attacked.

He drank enough before pulling himself back with a look of shock and horror. He was apologizing before Klaus ordered for Stefan to take him away. It was soon after when they all started waking up. Elena looked around while holding her bleeding neck as they all approached at once.

After the fourth had taken their share she had fallen to the floor. Her heart was slowing, sweat broke out on her forehead, and her body was slowly shutting down. Klaus made sure they didn't take too much, but the problem that persisted was that there weren't enough places to bite her. And so they started biting her arms, neck, and legs. They were causing her more pain than she had ever experienced before.

She had stopped struggling by the time she hit the floor and all she could do was stare up at the ceiling; waiting for them to pull back. Chills tingled through her body and the feeling of nausea settled in her stomach. Elena felt like just sleeping it off, but her body wouldn't give her that peace. Instead, she tried blocking out the sharp sets of fangs in her body by picturing her deceased family, her friends, and Damon.

"Enough!" Klaus roared as the last hybrid pulled himself away from her defeated body. Elena turned her head and noticed there were pools of red liquid forming around her body. It took her a moment for her brain to work. It was her blood. She was lying in a puddle of it and she was too weak to move. Klaus stalked forward and crouched down next to her. "We'll get you rested, stick a needle into your arm, and then drain you." His fingers ran down the side of her face. She would have turned away but everything felt heavy to her. "I hope this taught you a lesson. Don't ever betray me again. If I kill you then you stay dead."

"Fuck you," she rasped out weakly.

Klaus stood up with a smile. "Or maybe I'll just let you bleed out right here and leave you."

He started walking away and Elena coughed; spluttering on something in her mouth. When she coughed again she tasted the copper taste of her own blood. If she was going to die then she wouldn't let Klaus get the last word.

"He's going to kill you," she whispered. However, she knew that Klaus heard her because he paused in the doorway with Stefan by his side. "He's going to kill you."

Klaus sped over to her and she laughed to the best of her ability with her own blood in her mouth. She must have bitten her tongue when she was being fed off of to keep from screaming out and giving Stefan and Klaus that satisfaction.

"What did you say?" He demanded.

Elena smirked. "Damon's going to stake you."

Klaus crouched down again and glared into her eyes. Elena almost shrunk back but he didn't let her. He gripped her throat, more blood slowly trickling out and onto his fingers. She moaned in pain as he pulled her halfway up.

"You have no one here, little girl," he spoke deliberately slow. "Your family is dead. You killed your mother and father the moment you ran off the bridge. Your aunt is dead because you're the doppelganger. John and Isobel died because of you. And I don't particularly see your friends here ready to save you." Klaus looked around with a smirk. "Damon isn't here either. Probably best if he doesn't show because I'm going to kill him with my bare hands."

A snap rang out throughout the empty parlor and both Elena and Klaus looked at Stefan's body lying in a heap on the floor. Damon stood over his brother's body and pretended to wipe his hands on his pants as if he actually got them dirty from snapping Stefan's neck.

Damon smirked; his eyes taunting. "Speaking of me?"

Elena smiled before she felt her world go black. Klaus's hand lost its grip on her throat and she sank into the pool of blood. She finally was able to sleep and a part of her felt at peace with herself. Damon was there.

He would protect her.

* * *

**I also really like Katherine and I especially love writing scenes with her in it when Jeremy is present. Please let me know what you think!**


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